Rules Of Arcania:Talkin' 'Bout My Generation(X)
by RhiannonAmaris
Summary: Arcania Constantine joins Generation X
1. 1

**DISCLAIMER**-Generation X, Emma Frost and Banshee belong to Marvel Comics. John and Chas belong to DC/Vertigo Comics. Arcania, Keith and Karen are mine. No money being made, don't sue.   
**NOTES**-Please don't archive or use origanal characters without permission. I'll let you as long as you ask.   
**FEEDBACK**-Please send lots to [RhiannonAZ@aol.com][1]. 

**

The Rules Of Arcania:   
Talkin' 'Bout My Generation (X)[Part 1/?]   
by   
RhiannonAmaris

**

John Constantine walked into the small kitchen of his apartment and hoped 'Cania had made some coffee before she headed to school-- and that she hadn't drunk it all, being the caffeine junkie that she was. There was about a quarter of a pot, which he started to drink. After a moment a couple things hit him-- the coffee was fresh and the TV was on in the living room. Something was going on. That was all he could come up with in his hung over state. 

John walked into the living room and saw Arcania sitting cross legged on the floor. She was wearing flannel pants and a tank top and was eating ice cream out of it's carton and snickering at a talk show. "Arcania?" 

"Eh? Oh, it's just you Dad." Large bright blue eyes blinked at him. 

"What day is it?" 

"Tuesday. So?" 

"So you're supposed to be at school." 

"I'm tired. There was a bunch of crap with some demon yesterday, an' Mel had another 'I don't really exist, I'm a figment of somebody's imagination' spell an' Mona was tryin' t' talk me into helpin' her throw somebody ELSE over, an' some tosser from the Guild was tryin' to get me to help him with something-" 

"That isn't an excuse. You can't bloody skip so much. If you keep this up you won't even graduate." 

"So? Last I checked a high school diploma wasn't a requirement for practicing magic. Besides, I already know more than the teachers have forgotten." 

"That isn't the point, luv." John paused and decided that this was as good a time to breach the subject as any. "I've been thinking..." 

"That doesn't happen very often, now does it." 

"I've been thinking that maybe you ought to go someplace that won't bore you as much. I was talking to somebody a few weeks ago and he mentioned that Emma Frost is on the straight and narrow these days, but she's still running that school of hers in the states." 

"You wouldn't." 

***

"I'm not goin'.", the tall lanky girl with the long, dirty-blonde braid insisted. She stuck her hands deeper into the pockets of her ragged black trenchcoat and scowled. 

"Yes you are.", said her father, who could help but thinking that the two of them sounded like a pair of three year-olds. A thin ribbon of smoke billowed out of his cigarette and he took a long drag. Variations of this conversation had been taking place for the past few weeks, gradually becoming less and less intelligent Arcania's side. John ran his hand through his hair and was slightly surprised that none of it came out. Messing about with demons wasn't half as stressful as raising a stubborn teenaged daughter. 

"It's a feckin' boarding school.", she whined. If one stopped to think about the present situation it was rather incongruous, humorous almost. John Constantine and his daughter Arcania were two of the most powerful mages in the world, and 'Cania usually acted at least ten years older than her age. At the moment it could accurately be said that she was acting ten years younger. 

"I suppose it is, but it ain't exactly like all then stuck up ones that Buckingham used t' send ya to." He had forgotten how many times he had made that point.. "An' ya get along well enough with Emmie. An' don't that one friend of yours, Starsmore, go there." 

"Still a boarding school.", 'Cania muttered. The hatred of such institutions was deeply ingrained in her. From the time she was eight to when she was thirteen and her before her dad got custody of her, her step-father, Robert Buckingham, had shunted her off to countless boarding school and academies to remove his wife's bastard daughter from his presence. It had been rare for her to spend more than one term at any given school though, especially after her mother had died when she was ten. At first she was angry at everyone that had put her there and lashed out, getting into with her stuck up classmates and arguing constantly with the idiotic instructors. Soon she had become more creative and came up with intentional ways to get kicked out. The one she was most proud of was taking over the PA system from the air ducts and reading Allen Ginsburg over it until they had found her. 

Constantine sighed. "Let's go, 'Cania." As much as he hated making his child unhappy, the Massachusetts Academy would be good for her. John would be the first to admit that he was a horrible role model, and, however much he tried, a far from perfect father. As much as he tried to be, he wasn't even there half the time. The fact of the matter was that however weird the Massachusetts Academy was, it was stable. There was also the danger that Arcania seemed to thrive on. He still attempted to protect her, but he had long since given up on trying to shield her as he had for the first twelve years of her life. He had to admit that she would be in the game as deep as he was even if she wasn't the Esoteric. 

At seventeen Arcania Elizabeth Constantine was a Master of the Thieves Guild, a magus, a member of the "Trenchcoat Brigade", and the Esoteric--heir to an almost unlimited power that was somehow akin to the Endless. It could be said that she took after her dad with a vengeance. The young woman that possessed all this power frowned and picked up her guitar and a bag and began to load her things into Chas's cab. 

***

Jubilation Lee was even more hyper than usual. One new student was already there and two others would arrive soon. The new guy was a fellow native of California that seemed to think he was a hippie. He wore baggy and ragged cargo pants and a Grateful Dead T-shirt and his red hair was in dreadlocks. Jubilee still wasn't sure what his powers were. Keith, that was his name Keith Ross, just kept saying something about "Heart Of Gold" and grinning. 

Banshee had gone to pick up one of the other new kids, a girl named Karen Crane, at the airport. Frosty had said that she was a teleporter and illusionist. She had two powers! That was so cool! The third newcomer was another girl and Emma hadn't told any of them, except maybe Banshee, who she was or what she did. Jubilee was dying of curiosity. 

She might have been excited, but everyone else was acting normal. Which meant that Monet and Angelo were arguing, Paige was rambling about Tristan to anyone that would listen—or just couldn't run away fast enough-- Penance was roaming around the woods, Ev was playing with Artie and Leech, and Jono was moping around the basement listening to some Rolling Stones song on repeat. 

Jubilee sat at a window with Keith, watching the front drive and talking, though it was obvious that neither understood more than half of what the other was saying. Keith broke of in the middle of a story about something he claimed had gone down in the Haight and Ashbury section of San Francisco. "What the hell is a London cab doing in Massachusetts?" Sure enough, a small black English taxi was coming down the drive, followed by a black Harley. 

"That is too weird.", Jubilee stated. "C'mon, it must be one of the other new kids, the one Frosty was being all mysterious about." When they got outside they found the White Queen talking to a tall blond man wearing a tan trenchcoat. A short brown-haired man was unloading the cab and talking to himself. "Chas old mate, I need ya to help me get 'Cania to her new school, he says. You just need to take a right off the A-12, he says. Of course it ain't nothin' weird. Ha! If this is England I'm the bloody Queen!" Frost and the man ignored the cabbie's muttering and were occasionally glancing at the motorcycle." 

"She doesn't seem very pleased." 

"She'll get over it. C'mon 'Cania, stop sulkin'." 

The black trenchcoated figure on the bike reared back her head and tore off her helmet. "I'm not bloody sulking, you… you… Wanker!" 

"I'm disappointed, you're usually more creative." 

This inspired dark mutterings and black looks from the young woman. She lit a cigarette and headed into the house. 

Jubilee and Keith followed hesitantly. The girl stopped in the foyer and her eyes narrowed behind her blue tinted sunglasses. She was listening. The faint strains of Jono's music could be heard. That is to say it was faint in the front hall. In the basement it was probably deafening. 

"The wanker.", the girl hissed, "The stupid, bloody toerag." She whirled around and faced Jubilee. "How long has he had that song playing?" 

The young Chinese girl only stared. 

"HOW LONG?" 

"umm… Most of today?", Jubilee stuttered, utterly confused. 

"The fucking, stupid, bloody wanker." The young Asian girl continued to stare in shock at the reaction. "Where is he? No, don't answer that. Let me guess. The basement, right? Typical." She stormed off and stopped short. "Er, by the way, the basement would be in which direction?" The Esoteric was one of the few people that could say that in such a situation and not inspire laughter. Then again, the whole 'I'm embarrassed, but if you laugh at me I'll kick your ass or turn you into a newt, depending on what kind of a mood I'm in' aura might have something to do with that. Not that more than three people here knew it yet. 

Jubilee pointed with a blank look on her face, and obviously had no clue what was going on. Neither did anyone else for that matter. 

Arcania stomped off in the direction indicated by Jubilee's finger, swearing at the top of her lungs. This was, of course, when Banshee chose to arrive with the third new student. Cassidy and the girl both dropped the bags they were carrying. Sean just stared in shock. The girl, however, pulled out a small notebook and began scribbling furiously in it, repeating of few of Arcania's oaths under her breath. 

John gave her an odd look. 

"Er, Sean, this would be Karen Crane then?", Emma asked, trying to get her colleague's attention off the disappearing Arcania. The Irishman didn't give any indication that he heard. 

"Yeah, that would be me.", the brown-haired young woman said distractedly, still scrawling down obscenities until 'Cania was out of earshot. "Don't have to write 'so-and-so swore profusely' anymore.", she mumbled to herself. 

"Who… Who was that, Emma?", Cassidy demanded accusingly. 

"Oh, that would be Arcania Constantine, one of the new students, I told you about her…", Emma stammered, looking daggers at Conjob. ~Constantine, you so owe me.~ 

***

As Arcania went down the basement stairs the sound of her tirade couldn't begin to challenge the Rolling Stones on full volume. Jono shifted as something broke through the veil of his self-pity. He went to turn down the volume a bit, an odd expression on what was left of his face. At that moment Arcania started pounding at the door, yelling at the top of her lungs. "Damn it Starsmore, don't make me come in there and kick yer arse!" 

Jonothan's legs collapsed beneath him. ~That's it. I've finally gone off the deep end an' I'm hallucinating that Janey's outside the door yellin' at me.~ 

"Yer not effin' hallucinatin', don't call me Janey again or I'll send ya t' hell, an' open the friggin' door." 

Jono slowly got up from where he was sitting on his ass. ~Wot in bloody hell are you doing here Constantine?~, he asked as he unlocked the door. 

Arcania entered and plopped down onto a debris strewn couch. "Ya ain't heard? I'm yer new classmate." She scowled and lit a Silk Cut. 

It was a moment before Chamber could reply. ~ That. Isn't. Funny.~ 

"You're telling me? 'It'll be more stable.' 'Ya have t' finish school.' I happen to like my nice unstable environment an' I won't learn anything I need to know at school." She began to pout. 

~You're serious! How?~ 

"Emmie owed Conjob a few." 'Cania looked around in vain for somewhere to flick her ashes and ended up stubbing out her cigarette on a table. "You actually live down here? Fuck, I thought my room was bad." The room was, in fact, horrible. Dirty laundry was scattered all over, along with CDs, video games, books, and... a couple ashtrays? "Er, Jono.", Arcania began as she got up and snagged one, "Please tell me you ain't been smoking through your nose." 

~What? Oh, hell no, I just kinda miss how they smell and...~ 

"Let me get this straight, you've been lighting cigarettes, watching them burn and trying to inhale the smoke. Then again, I'm not one to talk. If I were in your position I probably would be smoking through my nostrils." 

~Yeah, you always were a nic fiend. So why did you come invading my room?~ 

"Cause, one, you could hear "Paint It Black" as soon as you come into the house, two, that's your "I'm going to sit around all day and feel sorry for myself" song, three, you were being depressed at me. You stupid wanker!" 

Jono was one of the few people that would understand that. Arcania had always considered her mutant power a weakness, and as such it was kept under wraps. ~Sorry.~ 

"I don't mind that much, but for Christ's sake Jono! Quit bloody feeling sorry for yourself. That's probably at least half the reason you haven't gotten a handle on the whole face thing." 

~You're an insensitive bitch 'Cania.~ 

"I'm a Constantine. What the hell did you expect?" 

***

"That's the new student? The one you were being so mysterious about? I can see why! I can only hope this isn't typical behavior. * sigh * What's her power? She does have a power, Emma?" 

"I have no idea whether or not she's a mutant, Sean. From what I understand, she is a mage of some sort.", Emma replied somewhat nervously. "It runs in her family." The White Queen cast another glance at John. 

Constantine leaned against a wall and lit a cigarette. "Bit of an understatement." 

The students looked on in confusion. "If you would come into the office Mr. Constantine, we have some things to discus." 

As they walked away Karen's eyes shuttered. "Did he say Constantine?" 

***

~So how's everyone doing? Is the band still together?~ 

"Yeah. It's a trio now, though. Has been for a while. I tried to sit in when I could, but... Ya know how it is mate." 

~Not really, but I can guess.~ 

***

Sean Cassidy's eyes slowly became larger and larger. The file on Arcania Elizabeth Constantine, or, as she was refereed to in the earlier parts of the files, Jane Elizabeth Buckingham, was huge. Almost all of it was disciplinary problems. He almost missed the grades and found them hard to believe, considering. How could such a determined trouble case be such a good student? When did she find the time to study? "Emma, may I have a word with you?" 

They walked to the other side of the room, away from Constantine. "I didn't know she was this bad. I only got the file earlier today." 

"You didn't... You only... Then why the hell did you agree to take her on!", Sean said urgently, trying to keep his voice down. 

"Because I owe her father and I don't want to be on John Constantine's bad side.", Emma hissed. 

"Who the hell is he that 'being on his bad side' is such an awful thing? If he's some kind of super-villain," there was a huge amount of doubt in his voice, "You'll regret it. We've had enough trouble with your sisters..." 

"Don't bring that up again. And no, he is most defiantly not a super-villain. He's a mage. And whether or not she's a mutant Arcania is an intelligent and talented young woman that will be very valuable to the team. And all this-", she held up the file, "Was years ago. I'm sure she isn't this bad anymore." 

***

Jubilee frowned in puzzlement at the question. "Yeah, that's what she said. So?" 

Karen's eyes went even wider. "Not good, not good. Pretty damned cool, but this is so not a good thing." The mid-western girl sat down on one of her bags. "We're all gonna die.", she muttered almost inaudibly. 

"So the other new girl's father's last name is Constantine. Would you mind explaining why that's important?" 

"Because that was John fucking Constantine." 

Everyone looked at her blankly. After a moment Keith spoke up. "There was a John Constantine in this old punk band, I can't remember their name... They rocked though." 

"Mucous Membrane, and bit was more like it. Good for pissing people off though. But anyway, what I'm trying to point out is... How can I put this- Have any of you ever read "Rake At The Gates Of Hell"?" She wince internally. 'Great, I'm here ten minutes and everybody's gonna start thinking of me as the weird quiet girl that reads comics and 'is-probably-in-the-Trenchcoat-Mafia'. I was hoping I could make it a week before I became an outcast. Oh well, why should anything be any different here?' She looked at what seemed to be a sea of blank faces. "It's a horror comic book." She sighed. "I'll take that as a no. Anyway, it's about this... not really evil... this mage that's very dangerous and a total bastard." They still didn't get it. "The main character is based on John Constantine." 

"Oh.", Jubilee said calmly popping her gum. 

Karen normally had a very even temper, or more accurately put she was usually to shy to express a quick one. For some reason though she snapped this time. "Therefore him being here is a very bad thing you fucking twits!" 

The two young Brits came in just then. Having missed the first part of the conversation they exchanged puzzled looks. ~Wonder what that was about.~ 

"Me dad probably.", Cania replied as she lit a cigarette, smirking a bit. 

Paige began berating the new girl, even though she had already decided that she didn't like the Englishman or his daughter one bit. "Really, it ain't at all nice to say things like that about him. Ya'll have never even met him before. Anyway, you don't even know he was this John Constantine person you were babbling about. Ah think you're just being horrible." Husk finished her little self-righteous speech and waited for agreement and apologies. 

A few things struck Arcania at once. How much the criticism affected the brown-haired girl, the other blonde's insincerity, the mixture of confusion and something else coming from Jono and the curiosity eating everyone alive. She had no problem with dishonesty (it would be a bit hard for an unofficial member of the Guild to) as long as there was a reason behind it. In this case there was none at all, other than a holier than thou attitude. "Who the hell asked for yer opinion sunbeam? Anyway, I may not have heard much of what the kid said, but what I did hear was dead on." Actually all she had heard was "very bad thing you fucking twits.", but it was easy to figure out what the brunette had been talking about considering she was wearing a "Dreamer" T-shirt. Besides, Arcania had gotten a laugh out of the girl's note taking. "So piss off." 

"What?' 

"Are you deaf luv?" 

"Well I never!", Paige huffed. 

Arcania looked over Paige's outfit, which looked like something Britney Spears would wear. "Some how, I doubt that." 

Husk stood speechless. 

"So mate, ya want to show me round campus?" Arcania smiled and exited stage left. It was her specialty. *** 

The two English teens walked along the Mad River in silence, staring into its depths. This was where Jono went when he wanted to wash all the angst away. There was a helluva lot of angst. That was one fact of life that both of them knew damned well. 

The tour of the campus had consisted of the pair going outside and continuing to walk, neither saying a word. They had always been able to know when not to talk, to just be there. Arcania picked up a stone and tossed it into the river. "So... What's up with you and little Miss lack of personality?" 

~Wot?!~ Jono looked at his oldest and best friend incredulously. 

"You 'eard me. The blonde that needs to get some new clothes that won't make 'er look like a slut. What's her problem? And what the hell's going on between you two?" Arcania had never been one to mince words, especially when one of the few people she cared about was affected. "She yer girlfriend, an ex, what?" 

Starsmore slumped against a tree, taking a while to reply. ~I'd have to go with 'what'. We always kinda liked each other, I guess. I dunno, maybe she just felt sorry for me or somethin'. Anyways, a while back 'er mum got pretty sick, so she 'ad t' go home. So I told her 'ow I felt...~ 

'Cania sat down on a boulder and looked at him in puzzlement. "I don't see the problem yet, mate." 

He ran his fingers through his hair, obviously embarrassed. ~I'm gettin' t' that. Ya see, I figured she'd be gone fer a while, at least a month. So I'd have a bit of time t' sort myself out, right? A lot of other shit was happenin' then too. About two weeks later she's back. Within ten seconds she's huggin' me an' tellin' me how much she missed me. And I...~ He paused, not wanting to go on. 

"You said something stupid, didn't you." Arcania had seen her father screw up enough relationships and the few she had ever had tended to go to hell in a handbasket. 

~No. I didn't say anything stupid. I just didn't say anything. I bloody well froze, didn't I.~ 

"That's even worse.", Arcania groaned sympathetically. 

~Thanks for yer support. How the hell would you know, anyway?~, Jono snapped, knowing how little Arcania dated. 

"By observin' me Dad fuck up relationships. I may not know much about productive ones, but I sure as hell know what fucks 'em up... Still, you could always tell her-- Not that I understand why you'd want to." 

~Me neither. I tried to, but she just kept blowing me off. Then bleedin' rat boy shows up an' she starts droolin' over him.~ The bitterness in his 'voice' would have been apparent to anyone. 

"A bit jealous, are we?" Even as she said it she knew that wasn't it. 

~Not exactly... It's just that... He's a complete bastard! I mean, if it had been somebody else... It could 'ave at least been someone who's halfway decent, ya know. He's a self-absorbed little wanker. Ya see Tristan's grandfather had Jubilee's parents killed, years ago. She found out an' found the evidence an' 'ad 'im thrown in jail. An' the little cunt has the nerve t' say somethin' 'bout 'ow she took away 'is family t' Jubes. An' SHE just throws 'erself at 'im.~ 

"That's a bitch." 'Cania shrugged and lit a Silk Cut. "Get over it, mate." 

For a minute or two Jono stared. Then he began to shake with laughter he couldn't express. ~Get over it, she says. Wot am I supposed t' do, forgive an' forget?~ 

"Nah, I ain't much of one fer forgiveness, an' forgettin' mean yer mind's goin'. But get over it. It ain't worth it. SHE ain't worth it. Trust me. I got a sixth sense about these things." 

~She wasn't always like this.~ 

"I'm sure she wasn't. Either that or yer standards have gone down hill... Oh, never mind. I forget about Gayle." 

~Shut the hell up.~ 

***

An hour later, when Jono and 'Cania came back in, everyone was in the rec room, except the adults. They came in and everyone stared at them. "Christ, what's their problem." All of Generation X, with the exception of the two new members, were either in shock or being eaten alive by curiosity. The sight of an undepressed Jono was rare. 

***

"It seems that everything is in order Mr. Constantine.", Banshee said, feeling that it was anything but true. 

"Just call me John, mate." He turned to Frost. "Thanks again Em. I really appreciate this." 

The elegant White Queen got up and hugged him awkwardly. "Don't mention it John. I owe you after all." It seemed strange, she reflected, that this man was one of the few people she considered a friend. "Besides, if she takes after you in the least it'll keep the place... interesting..." 

John laughed wryly. "She does. A bit too much for my liking really." Ice blue eyes met ice blue eyes and they both smiled. Both of them were cold, hard and cruel, but that was out of necessity. "I should be going pretty soon. I guess I'll say goodbye to 'Cania and head out. It's been good seeing you again, Emma. You've done good for yourself." 

~I had help John.~ 

***

Though they all had questions none of them- not even Jubilee- could bring themselves to speak up. After a few minutes of awkward silence they went back to watching a "The Kids In The Hall" marathon that was on Comedy Central. They sprawled out on couches, chairs and the floor, ignoring each other for the most part. 

A few footsteps came from behind them. "Arcania." 

The lanky young woman got up and turned around. "Dad. I take it that you're abandoning me to the Spandex Brigade now." There was a slight amount of bitterness in her voice. 

"Yeah. I have t' be going. Take care of yourself and try not to cause too much trouble, eh?" 

"I'll try. I can't give any guarantees though-- I'm your daughter after all." 

*** 

   [1]: mailto:RhiannonAZ@aol.com



	2. 2

**DISCLAIMER-**Generation X, Emma Frost and Banshee belong to Marvel Comics. John and Chas belong to DC/Vertigo Comics. Arcania, Keith and Karen are mine. I think you can figure out what "Dreamer" and "Rake At The Gates Of Hell" are supposed to be. No money being made, don't sue.  
**NOTES-**Please don't archive or use original characters without permission. I'll let you as long as you ask.  
**FEEDBACK-**Please send lots to 

The Rules Of Arcania: Talkin' 'Bout My Generation (X)Part 2/? by RhiannonAmaris 

Six AM. In a room that was a royal mess Paige got up cheerfully and turned off her alarm clock. Ev got up less happily, but without much effort. Angelo cursed under his breath and went in search of coffee. M got up and frowned slightly, disliking the hour but refusing to admit it. Jubilee threw a stuffed animal at the blaring alarm clock and reluctantly got up. Keith hadn't set his and was sleeping like the dead. Karen hit the snooze button and burrowed in deeper within the covers. Jono sat up, stared at the door and wondered why he should even bother getting up. Arcania threw her blaring alarm clock against the wall, still fast asleep.

Sean looked over the breakfast table and noticed that four students were missing. "Jubilee, Paige, Angelo, Everett, why don't you go wake up everyone else."

Keith was easy. All Ev had to do was mention food. Angelo began to pound on Jono's door. "Man, Cassidy said wake up and get your ass down to the kitchen."

I am awake and I can think of no reason why I should be in the kitchen.

"True amigo, but I think he wants us to socialize and act like a big happy family."

Then I definitely shouldn't be there. And neither should 'Cania, trust me.

"What do you mean, man?", Skin asked as they walked down the hall. "I thought the two of you were tight."

Hell, 'Cania's been my best mate since we were two years old. The fact remains that she's a Constantine and they win the "evil bastard" prize hands down and tie with the Summers for "most dysfunctional family".

"Man, that ain't possible."

Jubilee knocked on Karen's door loudly. She thought that letting Paige wake up Arcania was a bad idea, but she wasn't going to argue. Husk wasn't one of her favorite people right now. After getting no reply she opened the door, which required picking the lock. "Karen? Kare? Time to get up."

A barely audible mumble came from the tangle of blankets. "Mmph... Five more minutes..."

Farther down the hall Paige pounded at the door and then opened it. "Mr. Cassidy said to wake you up. We have things to do today."

"Piss off." came clearly from underneath the covers.

"Excuse me!"

Arcania proceeded to tell Paige what she could do with herself in some length-- ninety percent of which was physically impossible.

Paige stood with her mouth open and then replied in terms her brother would be surprised she knew.

Everyone but Paige, Arcania and the younger students were in the kitchen Sean smiled politely at the White Queen who was pouring herself a cup of coffee. "And how are you this morning, Emma? You usually don't join us for breakfast."

"No, not usually, but it isn't that unusual either." The elegant blonde sipped at her coffee and sent out a mental tendril to search for the absent students. "Jubilee, go wake up Artie and Leech... It would probably be useless to send someone looking for Penance... We still have to introduce the three of them to the newcomers, however..." An odd expression crossed her face, as if she wanted to grin and was trying to frown to hide it. Which was, truth be told, exactly what she was doing. "If you would excuse me, there is a... situation I should deal with in the girls' dorm." She got up and left the kitchen, Jubilee, Karen and Monet trailing behind her.

The men sat in confusion for a moment, then Jono got up. If this is about what I think it might be I should probably go lend a hand. He filled a large tumbler with cold water and headed after the girls.

They were crowded around the door with their mouths open. Frost was inside trying to calm down Paige and get some reaction from Arcania. She was puzzled-- the day before she had found that Arcania, like her father, was practically unreadable, but now she wasn't getting ANYTHING off of her.

Ms. Frost. The frustrated blonde turned to him, the expression on her face caught between annoyance and amusement. If you'd get Paige out of my way, I think I can help with 'Cania.

Slightly confused, the White Queen nodded and drew Husk out of the way, finally quieting her down.

Jono walked over to the bed, pulled away the covers that obscured Arcania's head and threw the glass of water into her face.

She came awake with a yelp and grabbed onto Jono's throat. "What the--" In a split second she let go of him, her eyes questioning, waiting for an explanation.

Constantine, you are the only person I know that can tell somebody off in your sleep.

Arcania pieced together what had been going on and began to laugh.

Breakfast began finally. With a few exceptions, most noticeably Karen and of course Jono, the meal was devoured almost violently.

After the meal was done and Karen, Keith and Arcania were introduced to Artie and Leech, the three of them were herded to a room in a subbasement. In it were a few computers and a strange looking device that none of the teenagers could identify. Arcania turned to Banshee and Frost and raised an eyebrow.

Cassidy didn't catch the look, but he had been planning on explaining anyway. "This is Shi'ar tech that is a bit similar to the replicaters on Star Trek. We use them to create the unstable molecule material used in..." After a couple moments 'Cania interrupted him.

"Hold up. Uniforms? As in costumes? As in running around in spandex like an idiot. No bloody way in hell." She glared at both of them. "Just out of curiosity, what have you been smoking, Emma? It must be pretty powerful if you think I'm going to dress up like some wanker with a weird fetish..."

There was no telling how long she would have gone on if Emma hadn't interrupted her. "Then you'll be training in your street clothes-- for now."

"Training? What the hell do you mean training? I ain't one of your--"

"Miss Constantine, there isn't going to be any discussion of the matter. Now go report to the gym and Mr. Corsi will evaluate you." Frost sighed. The idea of teaching a Constantine was getting worse and worse. "Now' Karen, Keith, we'll work on getting you your uniforms."

Keith quickly chose a version of the red costume that most of the team wore and split. Karen, on the other hand, looked it over and asked hesitantly, "Do I have to wear that?"

Emma smiled. "Not if you don't want to. Why don't you make your own-- Well have to approve it, of course. Tell us when you're done." After explaining how the Shi'ar machines worked, she left.

Sean stood awkwardly for a moment, then left too.

As soon as she got the hang of it Karen was having the time of her life. Most people assumed that she didn't care about clothes, but the fact of the matter she was simply practical-- and had better things to waste her meager income on. Someone had once said "When I have a little money I buy books. When I have more I buy food." She had forgotten who had said it, but she thought they had their priorities in order.

Her favorite clothes were either elegant or tattered. Either way they weren't anything that could be worn all the time. She was knocking herself out. She designed outrageous costumes-- some of which might have given Psylocke a run for her money. Finally she stopped goofing around and decided on one. At first she had thought about ones that were like something out of the fantasy novels she devoured-- all lace and velvet or chainmail. The one she decided on would have also been from one, but was much more practical. It was a gray wool tunic and breeches, knee high grey leather boots, a grey cloak and a belt with pouches tied to it.

She looked around for an intercom or something. After a while she found a likely looking button and pushed it. "Umm, hello? I'm done..."

I'll be down in a moment.

"Eep!" Hearing Ms. Frost inside her head startled her more than a little bit. 'I know she can do that but it still weirds me out.'

Emma swept into the room, wearing her white training uniform, with Sean trailing after her. "This is it then?" The elegant blonde held up the grey garments and studied them with a critical eye. "I suppose it will do. Are you sure about the cloak though?"

"Very." Hah! They were going to let her wear it. All she needed was a staff, a couple of daggers and a bag of holding and she'd be her D&D character.

"I'm not so sure about it, Emma. It might make it hard to move and that cloak would trip her up, I'm sure. It'll probably get hot too, lass."

Karen broke into a fit of laughter. "It happens to be pretty cold Between." A 'damned' went unsaid in front of cold. She had never been comfortable swearing in front of adults. "And you don't know hot until you've spent a whole day outside in full SCA finery whacking at somebody else with fake weapons on the hottest weekend of August. I can manage."

"Between?" Frost raised an eyebrow at the pride the last was said with.

"When I teleport it's like how the dragons from Anne McCaffery's Pern novels do, so that's what I call it. Besides I'm not very good at physical stuff and fighting. Except for kicking people in the shins, but that's just because I always wear combat boots or Docs."

Sean raised his eyebrow. "What happened to 'whacking at people with fake weapons'?"

"Oh, I always get my a-- butt kicked. It's fun though. And foam, PVC pipes and duct tape don't hurt very much."

"The costume is fine, Banshee. And she does have a point. Until she receives a lot of training she shouldn't be anywhere near a combat situation, and even afterwards her powers are still more covert than overt."

After a bit more blustering Sean gave in. "Fine. I'll gather up the others up and we'll start the training session in fifteen minutes then." The Irishman stormed off, frustrated. He couldn't remember the last time he had won an argument with that woman.

The teens were scattered around the gym. Husk was complaining bitterly about Arcania's lack of costume. Everyone was ignoring her except 'Cania, who was grinning her head off.

"Of course I ain't. You all look like tossers if ya ask me-- 'cept Crane. She just looks like a refugee from a Renn Faire." The young English woman smirked and took out a clove cigarette, but didn't light it. "I really don't understand why you lot keep running around in capes an' such tryin' t' save the world-- Without bothering to find out what the problem is in the first place."

"We know what the problem is, you--"

Arcania interrupted Paige before she could start in earnest. "Bollocks. Do you really think THIS is part of the solution when the basic nature of humanity is to be ignorant, fearful bastards? Or do you think at all? You're just--"

"It's nice to see you're getting along with your classmates so well, Miss Constantine." Emma, Sean and a strange looking girl walked in. "I hope your attitude is better when the regular students come back from break. I'll speak with both of you later." As often, the White Queen of old shone though. "If we may begin anytime soon?"

With a minimal amount of grumbling, the teens gathered into a very loose circle, except for Arcania who remained leaning against the wall. Emma waited a minute to be sure she had everyone's attention. "This is Penance. I told you about her earlier, I believe," she said, addressing the newcomers. "We will begin with a rather standard training exercise today, with the exception that you will be facing off against each other in uneven teams. Karen, Keith, Arcania, you will be working with each other. The other team is the rest of the students. This may seem unfair, but there is a reason for it. You'll be up against a lot of people, and some of them will be much more powerful than you. You're going to have to learn how to outsmart them. There's no time to start like the present and no better way to learn than through experience." She paused and waited for protests. She was rather surprised when none of the newcomers did so. After a moment's reflection she decided that Keith was too mellow and didn't quite grasp the situation, Karen wanted to but was too passive, and Arcania made it quite plain that she simply didn't give a damn.

"Well, let's get this over with, then," 'Cania sighed.

The gym faded out and was replaced by a jungle. The members of Gen X disappeared with swiftness born of lots of practice. The others stood and looked at each other for a moment before noticing that Penance was still there.

"Um... Hi. Do you want to be on our team or something? Oh, I forgot, you don't talk," Karen stammered.

Arcania crouched on the floor in front of Penance, who was sitting. "What's this then?" She reached behind Penance's ear and drew out an apple. The younger girl smiled and her eyes lit up. "Looks like she's on our side now." She stood and started walking. It seemed to Karen that the foliage parted for Arcania and Keith and rushed back together for her. After she had been thwacked in the face several times she stopped and glared at them. Penance had apparently disappeared. "Okay, would you two please explain why the jungle or whatever isn't trying to kill you?"

Keith looked at her and shrugged. "My power is that I can control probabilities. Like the Infinite Probability Drive, 'cept I don't have to figure them out. I guess I do it unconsciously too."

Arcania lit a cigarette. "Magic."

"Right. Shouldn't we be doing something?"

"I guess. The rest of them are over that way. I figured we'd plan or something, even though I still think this is stupid. The kid's following us." The young English woman took a long drag on her fag. "I guess you'll get us in close, Kare-- You're a teleporter too, right-- and distract them. Keith you'll give 'em bad luck... Either of you any good in a fight?"

Crane shrugged and Ross shook his head. "Lovely. I guess the taking them out part is up to me. Well, at least Pete an' Chas taught me how to fight, not me dad. All right then, we may as well start." 'Cania marched off, not looking back. After a minute or so she stopped and crouched by a pond. She looked into and past it, muttering to herself. At first Karen thought she was working a spell, but quickly realized she was just thinking out loud. "OK, there's Jon... Shit, looks like hyper girl there knows what she's doing... the little tart..." She straightened up. "Kare-- How does your teleportation work? I mean, do you have to have been to the place your going and can ya take people with you?"

"I've never tried. And I sort of have to see where I'm going in my mind's eye, if you know what I mean."

"That's simple enough, being as you're a bit sensitive."

"Yah, I'm so sure," the younger girl muttered under her breath, but not with as much conviction as she would have liked to think. Her and her friends had tried stuff like that a few times. They had... Well, most of them didn't say much of anything, but those that had were damned dramatic about it. She hadn't 'felt' a thing and had said so.

Arcania smiled a bit at her reaction, slightly puzzled. "Come 'ere." Karen walked over, rolling her eyes and the two of them stared into the pond. The younger girl's eyes went wide. "Take us there."

"I'm not sure I can! And if I mess up..." Her mind went back to what always happened when someone messed up a teleportation in a science fiction novel. She was growing hysterical. One look into bright, cold, blue eyes, one second to remember who she was talking to, and she snapped out of it. "I'll try..." The worry never left her own eyes. What had she gotten herself into?

Ev whirled around, sensing unfamiliar auras. He turned into Arcania's fist. "Sorry 'bout that, mate."

One out of the game.

Paige turned into metal because she thought she might have heard something. It would feel good to hit something, especially that Constantine girl. Who did she think she was anyway? She became still and then went in for the kill. Paige hit something as solid as the steel she currently was and looked up into Monet's cold brown eyes.

"The point of hitting your own team mates would be?" the Algerian girl said sarcastically.

"Not bad, Ross," 'Cania whispered.

"I didn't do that... At least I don't think I did..."

"Won't it be harder to take on both of them?" Karen hissed into her ear.

Constantine shrugged, stood up and brushed off her trench. "Let's give it a go anyways." She strode out of the undergrowth into the clearing. "Ta. Let's get this over with, hmm?"

M began to fly at her and 'Cania mumbled something under her breath. St. Croix fell to the ground.

"What did you do to her?!" Husk demanded. Despite her autism Monet was one of the most powerful members of the team.

"Nothin' much. She'll come to in an hour or so." A slight smirk touched her features.

Paige's eyes widened. "How?"

"Magic." There were times that one word spoken calmly could do more than a well placed bullet. This wasn't one of them.

Paige lunged forward and Arcania sidestepped easily. "Not going to try your dirty tricks on me then?" Husk hissed.

'Cania snorted in derision. "Anyone that doesn't fight dirty is a fucking idiot. But t' answer yer question I'd rather kick your sorry ass, sunshine."

Paige was a super-hero and had tons of training and experience. Emma was efficient to the point of paranoia when came to training. It wasn't a fair match in the least. For all that, she still tried to act like a 'nice' country girl.

'Cania, on the other hand, had learned the art of fighting dirty from the best and had taken to it like a fish to water. In pubs from her father's friends or belligerents she had managed to annoy, from her cousin and more formally in the halls of London's Thieves Guild. She still dropped in to spar every so often. People had been trying to hurt her dad through her for as long as she could remember. None of them had succeeded yet. Paige didn't stand a chance.

The young American shed her metallic skin. The action was meant to both even out the odds and unsettle her opponent. The former was unnecessary and the later was out of her league.

Arcania started out with an old fashioned right cross, then ducked and rolled away before Paige could react. The 'hit hard, fast' method work better when you added 'hide' to the list. Despite her opponent's training she stuck to street and pub fighting, leaving the fancy stuff she'd learned from Zoe's brother-in-law up her sleeve. Paige managed to get a few good ones in, but she had to work hard for them. Constantine was managing fine herself, but likewise having a bit of difficulty. Brawling was actually rather useless in a situation such as this-- in a pub fight she wouldn't have given a damn how many times she got hit-- but this was different. Thing was, having to dodge made it that much harder to strike. She would have still managed to take Guthrie out-- Eventually.

About five minutes into the proceedings Karen, who had been watching with an odd look on her face, picked up a stout looking fallen branch and clubbed Paige over the head.

Keith stared at her and Arcania raised an eyebrow. "We should probably go so 'Cania can kick everybody else's ass." The young woman said matter of factly. "Besides, I'm sure somebody has heard us by now and we want to sneak up on them, not the other way around, right?"

"Couldn't have put it better myself. It'd be a treat to see her face when she comes to though." Arcania's trademark smirk returned in spades. "Jono told me a bit about everyone's powers yesterday, but you might want to do the planning, Karen me girl."

"Betcha I know more. That Jubilee could talk the ears off a donkey." Crane then almost skipped off, detailing her 'non-evil' plot.

After that things went rather fast. Skin was taken care of with an illusion and quite a bit of bad luck. He ended up tied in a knot around a tree. Penance cornered Chamber and a standoff resulted since neither could do anything without seriously hurting the other. The only one left was Jubilee. 'Cania was on her own with that one.

She was almost able to sneak up on her, but Lee had learned from the masters. Arcania had baby-sat an emigrant member of the New Orleans Thieves Guild's kids and hung out with apprentices in the London Guild. She was all too glad to spin that into an apprenticeship (after all it was just as useful to be overestimated as under), but it really just meant she could pick locks, knew a few tricks, could talk the talk, fake the walk and the Guild usually let it slide 'cause they liked her. Useful and all, but not in this situation.

Jubilee pretended not to notice till the last moment, then sent a paff of 'fireworks' at the other girl. Constantine was just barely able to dodge in time. She dove back into the underbrush and looked at her options. Other than a few spells that worked when they felt like it and a few moves from pub fights and such, everything she knew to get someone down and make them stay there was damned serious. She could put a spell on her, like she had with Mo, but... That would be repeating herself. She stuck her hands into her pockets and thought hard. Her fingers closed around a smallish metal cylinder and she drew it out, grinning. "I'd forgotten about you," she said inaudibly.

She went dead still and sent a bit of synchronicity-- and a small pebble-- a few feet ahead and to the right of her. The Chinese-American girl carefully went to investigate the resulting noise. When she was two feet or so to the left of her Arcania put her hand out a bit, holding on to the cylinder, and pressed a tiny button. It shot out into a full sized staff. Lee began to stumble as it tangled in her feet, then caught herself just as quickly. 'Cania twisted the staff quickly, before Jubilee had fully recovered, and she ended up sprawled face down.

Before the other girl could pick herself up or otherwise react 'Cania had her foot on her neck. "Listen, we could stop wasting all of our time and quit dragging this idiotic thing out, or you could keep fighting an' I can turn you into a newt or something for a while. Your call." She didn't expect that to be the end of it, but it had to be said.

Whatever Jubilation's reaction would have been was cut short when their surroundings disappeared and they were once again in a seemingly standard gymnasium.

"That was rather unexpected." Banshee's Irish brogue came through the door and the man himself soon followed. He cast a glare at 'Cania, but she was already helping Jubilee up.

"Soz about that. No hard feelings right?" The shorter girl gracefully took the hand up.

"Of course not. I'll just have to watch out for you better next time." Jubes grinned from ear to ear. "You're good."

"I should hope not!" Constantine chuckled at the look she got. "Family joke," she explained.

The former X-Man shrugged. "So is that your power then? Turning people into animals, I mean."

"Dear God, no. I'm a magus-- A magician, right? I'm a mutant too, though. An empath. It completely bites."

"Oh." This fazed Jubes just a bit. After a beat. "So you can actually turn people into frogs and stuff?"

"I'm not sure. Probably." 'Cania grinned, shrugged and took out a Silk Cut. "I've never tried."

Lee laughed and looked around a bit. Half the team was out cold, Jono was glaring at Penny, and Angelo was untangling himself. "How did you manage that?!" she asked, a bit awed. For first timers this was amazing.

"Let's see. Asked nicely, sleeping spell, dunno-- Kare and Keith took care of him, right cross from me an' Karen hit her with a big stick." The young magus grinned at Jubilee's shocked expression. "She thought me and Shedding Girl or whatever she calls herself was taking to long and making too much noise. She's surprisingly good at this."

"Hitting people?"

"Strategy, tactics, plotting... Thwacking people, but she's a bit hesitant about it. That was mainly me. Keith's chance powers and my being pretty heavy into synchronicity magic probably didn't hurt either." 'Cania stubbed out her cigarette between her fingers and it disappeared out of sight, stowed who knows where. "I still think this whole deal was daft though."

"Right..." Jubilee rolled her eyes.

The White Queen walked in. "We'll have a run down of the session in ten minutes or so, in the kitchen. Arcania, could I have a word with you?"

"Oh, sorry." She made a gesture and Monet woke up.

"Thank you, but that wasn't what I meant." Emma glanced around. "The rest of you, move it!" The other teens hurried away.

"What." The word fell like a bomb.

"It's about your powers, lass." Banshee put in, voice gentle.

"What of them?" The girl leaned against the wall and shrugged nonchalantly.

"You're blocking them off." Emma said bluntly. "What I can't tell is whether or not it's intentional."

"And?" Another cigarette appeared and was lit with the flare of a Zippo. Her eyes turned cold and hard, reminding Sean of an English spy he had once worked with, down to the color even.

"I hate to be the one to break this to you, but either way that makes you more vulnerable, not less. I've never seen shields as rudimentary as yours dealing with as much power and have the person in question still be sane. I know magic works differently, which is why they haven't blown up in your face. It's only a matter of time before you're up against someone who knows what they're doing, if you make enemies anything like your father does. Even if you don't, I promised your father I would teach you. You'll learn to control your empathy whether you like it or not, so why don't you make it easier on all concerned and not fight us on this." Emma sighed. "Knowing the kind of enemies your father has I can see how you'd think yourself better off without your powers... Hell, anywhere with more than ten people per square mile can be a burden on a budding empath or telepath, let alone London. Just think about it, Arcania. That's all I'm asking."

"I'll do that." Arcania crushed the fag-end of her cig underfoot and walked away.

Continued in part 3 (coming eventually to a computer near you) 


End file.
